Top Ten Worst Things the CIA Has Done

Alpha101
The CIA was created in the 1940s by the Truman administration. Truman would later regret creating the agency, and stated that it routinely abused its powers. Spot on, Harry. Spot on.

The Top Ten

1Operation Northwoods

In the 1960s, the U.S. wanted a war with Cuba bad. I mean, really bad. So bad that the CIA actually had a plan to trick Americans into supporting a war against Cuba. The plan was, the federal government would carry out terrorist attacks against its own citizens, and then lay the blame on Cuba, thus gaining the much needed support for a war. Thankfully, President Kennedy, before being assassinated, rejected the proposal. - Alpha101

You have done some good research on you topic. One might even question what your involvement with the CIA was exactly? I'm just kidding... Although I'm vaguely familiar with Operation Northwoods, I have not researched it enough to know it even in a rudimentary sense. But I will certainly check it out now. It sounds interesting. Thanks - Ned964

2MKUltra

MKUltra was a series of experiments conducted by the CIA in order to find out if it could successfully conduct mind control. You read that right. The CIA was trying to conduct mind control. They would give test subjects LSD, isolate them, psychology torture them, and even try to hypnotise them. Thankfully, the experiments failed, or so they say. When the public found out about this, the CIA defended itself by stating that mind control would only be used on terrorists or enemies of war. Yeah, like that makes it any better. - Alpha101

Lol, Great comment. Yeah, this one is all CIA. They used prisoners as guinea pigs, which is kinda cold. I believe the infamous Whitey Bulger tried to use as his defense at trail that his brutal, murderous behavior was a direct result of having been a test subject of the MKUltra experiments. From what we know know about LSD, I can almost see his point. I mean, one LSD trip is probably too many for the human brain to get thru unscathed, and he had 40 CIA sponsored trips. - Ned964

This should be number 1. I know you did this Illuminati!

3Overthrowing foreign governments

I'm using my vote here. It's obvious you have done some good research on this topic, and so, there is little I can add to this entry on your list, and I agree 100% with your findings... I'm hoping more vote and comment on this list, but given the general silliness of many lists I find on this sight, I'm a bit skeptical. Thanks for this list, it was refreshing to see such a intriguing one finally. - Ned964

Thanks. I forgot to mention, it's kind of frightening. My great aunt used to be a member of the CIA. I completely forgot about that. Knowing that she probably is reading this right now, the next family reunion might be a little awkward. Lol. - Alpha101

It's kind of funny how the American people were outraged when Russia interfered with our latest election. The irony is, the CIA has interfered in more country's affairs than any other agency on the world. It first helped overthrow the democraticly elected leader of Iran in 1953, and replaced him with the Shah, who was later overthrown hinself in a revolution in the 1970s. Later, the CIA would interfere and sometimes topple the governments of many countries, including Nicaragua, Guatemala, Congo, the Dominican Republic, South Vietnam (while it existed), Brazil, and Chile. And that's, of course, only the countries that we know about. There could be several more that haven't been confirmed yet. - Alpha101

Amen. It's hypocrisy at the most laughable level. Don't get me wrong, I feel blessed to live in the United States, the freedoms we are afforded here are quite unique. But anyone who feels our government plays above board is delusion, or worse. Every government on Earth is guilty of some transgression, it just how they evolved. Take solace in the fact that the USA is really good at it. - Ned964

4Tortured unconvinced terrorists

This should be unconvicted terrorists. My auto-correct sucks. - Alpha101

Lol. I got the gist. Your not alone with the auto-correct issue, my current device is the worst I've seen. Also, so you don't waste your time, I asked the administration of this site to correct a heading I had entered, but as of yet, it has not been changed. I saw this list and had to check it out, great conversation stimulator. I'm just getting started, so bear with me. If I see something that peaks my interest, I'll certainly chime in. - Ned964

The CIA tortured unconvicted terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. The torture included watrrboarding, extreme isolation, sexual humiliation, rape, electric shocks, and the good occasional beating. The CIA even threatened harm to some of the prisoners families, and one prisoner claimed that a CIA member threatened to rape his mother, and kill his children. A this torture lead to very little information being admitted, and most of the information that was admitted was fabricated. Once again, none of these prisoners were ever tried of a crime. While most probably deserve their punishment, it is a little frightening that the CIA could abduct you in the middle of the night and torture you and your family will never know what happened to you. Even if you are a convicted terrorist, the amount of torture that occurs at Guantanamo is a little extreme, don't you think? - Alpha101

Yep, this happened. Although I have to admit that after 9/11 I was so outraged that ANY action taken against those responsible was justified. In hindsight, my initial reaction was rash. I would suspect that much useful information was gained by the methods used at Guantanamo. It's a shame that some innocents were forced to endure those methods. I'm no Conservative by any stretch of the imagination, but I do feel this was blown way out of proportion by the Liberal media. Still, innocents did suffer... Our enemy in this fight has no moral hindrances, women and children are slaughtered at every opportunity. They are truly evil...For me, I guess this was a necessary evil. It doesn't feel real good to say that, but what choices were we left with? - Ned964

5Arming islamic extremists

In the 1970s, during the Cold War, the USSR invaded Afghanistan. In order to help repel the invasion, President Carter, and later President Reagan, gave the CIA the authorization to arm rebels in Afghanistan. This turned out to be a success...for the most part. The rebels that the CIA armed were victorious, but after the Soviets left, they didn't know what to do. So, instead of doing smart things such as investing in infrastructure, education, healthcare, etc., they split up and started fighting each other, causing chaos and destruction everywhere. Eventually, a new group was founded, promising order and stability. This group was the Taliban. That's right, the CIA inadvertently created the Taliban, and inadvertently caused 9/11. - Alpha101

6Operation Mockingbird

During the heat of the Cold War, the CIA routinely bribed the largest news outlets to print stories that portrayed the U.S. in a positive light, and the USSR in a negative light. So, essentially, propaganda. The CIA bribed news outlets to spread propaganda. While it officially ended this practice in the 70s, many speculate that they continue to do it today. Former CIA director William Colby stated that, "The CIA owns anyone of any significance in the major media." Gives the phrase "fake news" a whole other meaning, doesn't it? - Alpha101

7Operation CHAOS

During the Vietnam War, a lot of Americans were upset. Many protested the war. This was a big no-no according to the CIA, while it was bribing news outlets to spread propaganda. We can't have people utilizing their first amendment rights. So, the CIA effectively spied on U.S. citizens who protested the war. Later, the operation expanded to spying on women's liberation groups and, for whatever reason, Jewish groups. - Alpha101

8Phoenix Program

During the Vietnam War, the CIA routinely kidnapped citizens. Let me repeat that, citizens. One more time, for good measure. CITIZENS. The CIA routinely kidnapped CITIZENS who were alleged to support the Viet Cong. These CITIZENS were tortured, raped, and sometimes executed. Let's just throw the Constitution out the window, shall we? - Alpha101

9Operation Paperclip

The U.S. needed new technology badly. Like, really badly. So badly that the CIA hired Nazi scientists to help them create the much desired technology. You read that right, the U.S. government had Nazis on its payroll. - Alpha101

Again, true. But what alternatives were there? Let the Soviets get all the nuclear and rocket scientists? Now I don't know that was the underlying motivation, but I do know it would have been in the end. This is a great thing that happened, given the circumstances. Besides, were these scientists guilty of any war crimes? They were not. They were just members of the Nazi party, and I'm pretty sure they didn't have much say in that, no matter how they felt... - Ned964

10Take out Muammar Gaddafi

The USA funded rebels to kill him and those later became Isis

The Contenders

11Operation Mongoose

During the Cold War, the CIA wanted Fidel Castro dead. So, they tried to assassinate him, and they were unsuccessful...many times. They tried outlandish assassinations such as planting bombs in his cigars, giving him a poisoned pen, etc. Obviously, all these attempts were failures and a huge waste of taxpayer money. - Alpha101

Yeah, it's a shame you have to still appear innocent when you attempt to assassinate a rival ruler. This guy was a self absorbed pig, who lead his country away from any hope of prosperity. What an idiot. Every politician in the US wanted this madman ousted from power, or dead. Count me in their number, like I said, it's a shame. - Ned964

12Take out Saddam Hussein

Saddam was indeed brutal but Iraq was stable and prosperous and the USA went in under false pretenses, and now Iraq is a mess and a Failed State - Legoguy